by Black-Diamonds and Beck
 
 

Chapter 8
Candle Light
 

Hermione ran a brush through her hair, which was still wet after her shower. Pulling at
a knot, she winced and bit down on her bottom lip. After pulling on a new set of robes,
Hermione left the dorm. As she stepped out of the common room and pulled the painting
of the Fat Lady shut, strong hands grasped her from behind and pulled her into a corner.
Spinning around to face her assailant, Hermione gasped, finding herself looking into a
pair of familiar steel blue eyes.

"Draco!" She hissed, "What on earth do you think you're doing?"

"Kidnapping you." Draco whispered, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"But we'll miss dinner. And your house-master doesn't exactly get any joy from seeing
you with me."

"What Snape doesn't know won't hurt him." Draco smirked, his arm still around
Hermione's waist. "And don't worry, I won't starve you." Keeping an eye out to make
sure no-one saw them, Draco lead Hermione deeper into the castle until they reached
a corridor Hermione had never seen before.

"Slightly forbidden of course." Draco explained, his voice hoarse with excitement.
"Come on, almost there."

They soon arrived at their destination, a small room with not very much in it, although,
Hermione noted, it was extremely luxurious. The walls were covered in silk tapestries,
and the floor in a deep plum-rose carper. Candles flickered around the room from their
metal stand. In the middle of the room, there was a small loveseat covered in red velvet,
and on a small glass table nearby was a platter of food. they sat down together for a
few moments in silence. As Hermione's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw that
one wall was covered entirely with rows and rows of books.

"Everything from Shakespeare to Keats" came Draco's soft voice.

*

"Draco..." Hermione murmured sleepily into his shoulder, "What time is it?" They'd
been reading a book of Shakespeare's sonnets together when they soft candle-light
had finally lulled them to sleep. Hermione had woken to find her head resting on
Draco's shoulder and her arm draped loosely around him. She'd been alarmed to
say the least. What in Merlin's name was she doing in a room by herself with Malfoy?
But then it had all come back to her. As she watched Draco sleep peacefully,
Hermione thought about the hours they had spent reading poetry book after book.
The real Draco had come out from under the vicious, nasty personality of the boy
she'd known as Draco Malfoy a week ago. Coming back to the present, Hermione
rubbed her sleep eyes.

"Draco," She said gently, "Draco we have to get up."

"But 'tis not yet day." He mumbled, snuggled into the couch.

Hermione smiled. Even half-awake, Draco managed to use Shakespearian quotes.

"It is, it is."

Before Draco could respond, the door burst open, and in came a familiar figure with
fiery red hair...
 
 
 

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Chapter 9